The present invention relates generally to golf clubs and, in particular, to a golf putter head.
Conventional golf putter heads are generally formed entirely or primarily of metal which is cast or forged into various configurations. Because of the rigidity of such metallic construction, a golf ball when struck by a metal putter tends to hop upwardly relative to the ground and is often deflected off a desired line of putt when the ball returns to the ground. Golf putter heads utilizing wood are also marketed, as for example, the putter head in Anderson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,281). See also Roraback (U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,252). These putters include a body or shell which can be fabricated of wood and employing a metal sole. The positioning of the metal sole below the wood body places the center of gravity of the putter head below the equator of the golf ball. As a result, when struck by such a putter the golf ball hops off the ground and additionally backspin is imparted to the ball. As a result, the ball not only tends to move off its desired line of putt but it is also difficult to gauge the distance the ball will travel.
It is a further disadvantage of conventional prior art putter heads that when a golf ball is struck with an off-center stroke, the ball will not move along its desired line of putt towards the cup. This lack of accuracy results from the twist applied to the golf putter head by the off-center contact of the face of the putter head with the ball.
The golf putter head embodying the present invention overcomes the above-described disadvantages so as to increase the accuracy of a golfer's putt, both in direction, and in distance.